Why not catch up with us while we are out and about?
Latest Events
We are always out and about with the retired greyhounds at local county shows and lots of other events too. We would love to see you when we are next out and you can see exactly where to catch up with us on this page.
You will have the chance to meet the SRGF team and the greyhounds plus find out more about how to home a greyhound or simply pick up some of the fabulous merchandise available.
Events and Shows 2010
Please keep visiting this page to keep updated and it would be wonderful if you could come and support us where you can.
Sept. 3rd - 5th Chatsworth Country Fair
Sept. 5th Family Fun Day, York Race Course
Sept. 11th Penistone Show
Sept. 18th Great Greyhound Gathering
Sept. 19th Whirlow Hall Farm Fayre
Sept 22nd Swingers' Night - a night of fantastic food and swing music
Swingers' Night Update: This event has been postponed:
please see the Latest News ... for full details.
Message from the Tooth Fairy
Please take some time to look at a very informative website created for us by Bethany Evans.
The website is "dedicated to promoting the importance of dental health and hygiene in dogs" and is well worth a read: we'd recommend bookmarking it for reference and guidance.
Bethany has worked closely with the kennel staff and thoroughly researched the subject. We can never emphasise enough how important dental hygiene is in all dogs and are very grateful to Bethany for all her hard work and dedication in reinforcing this message for us.
The website address is : http://sheffieldretiredgreyhounds.roxer.com/ or click the banner below.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT CAME AND SUPPORTED US ON THE SPONSORED WALK.
WE NOW HAVE A FINAL TOTAL (21/12/09) FOR YOU: AN IMPRESSIVE £1,781.50! THE FUNDS WILL BE GOING TOWARDS IMPROVED LIGHTING AND A TREATMENT AREA INSIDE OUR KENNEL BLOCK WHICH MEANS THAT OUR WONDERFUL GREYHOUNDS DON'T HAVE TO SHIVER OUTSIDE WHEN THEY'RE BEING CHECKED OVER ETC AND WE CAN OFFER YOUR OWN GREYHOUNDS EVEN BETTER FACILITIES.
THANK YOU AGAIN - WITHOUT YOUR HELP, GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO. NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL THE SPONSORSHIP AMOUNT: IT ALL DOES REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
KEEP AN EYE ON THE GALLERY PAGES: PHOTOS TO BE POSTED VERY SOON! UPDATE: NOW ON -ENJOY.
The 2009 Journey – Paws of Fire
Well here we are again those pesky humans are taking us on a new epic journey. As you can see we are into our intensive training routine already!
We have got loads of new friends joining us this year, Carol Kestin from HR at the Co-op. Mairi (yet that’s how you spell it!) she is an RST – I think that means Runs, Sits and Tail-wagger, and hot off the press a chap called Ryan who is in charge of Leakage (Think he is going to help me with my wee count!) The route this year takes us 52 miles from Norfolk Park in Sheffield to Silkstone in Barnsley. We are going to do it in 3 days so it is a massive challenge for our paws but I think with some extra Chum we can do it.
There are loads of the managers and colleagues going to walk with us and maybe some more friendly dogs to help raise some money for you guys up there, and the RNID (Royal National Institute for the Deaf). So please if you have not already done so sponsor either Gracie or myself or even if you are that way inclined the humans we are allowing to accompany us. The walk starts on Saturday the 11th July and Sunday 12th concluding on Saturday the 18th so we can see you guys at the Show on the 19th if we have the energy. Mum says if you can raise an extra £50 she will walk from the kennels to the dog show as well (she's nuts like that!).
Well must go my left leg is in training to try to beat last year’s total. Gracie wants to know if the guy with pork chop legs is coming again this year! (She has been slimming and gets a bit on the hungry side!) If any of you guys would like to join us on the walk feel free to contact us and we will look forward to meeting you all.
Lots of love Ralph and Gracie xxxxxxxx
The 2009 Journey – Intensive Training
Well is it hot enough for you guys up there at the kennels?
We have been on our pre walk training holiday to the Forrest of Dean loads of trees to practice on so I think if you bet around 73 for the day you might be onto a winner.
Well sponsors from round the stores are looking good and we also have got some support from our local the Ring o Bells at Royston, ideal if you want to call in for a wet you get a free dog chew and Gracie says the beer is good too.
Some of our humans are not doing the whole lot now can’t take the pace but we still have loads of friends coming with us. You need to look out for the motley crew wearing a variety of ill fitting shorts and someone has also threatened to wear something called an Hawaiian shirt? Gracie says it looks when she was sick on the carpet the other week.
We start on Saturday morning at 8.30 in Norfolk Park in Sheffield then on to Lowshire, then Ecclesfield to High Green a quick chow stop and paw massage then off to Birdwell, down towards Barnsley and finishing the Saturday at Worsbrough.
Then we are off to grandma cheese for a well earned rest and hopefully a few squares of cheddar got to keep our strength up.
Sunday morning we are going from Worsbrough to Darfield, Snape hill, Cathill (not sure I am happy with going there!) Wombwell, then there are two stops at Hoyland and onto Wortley and Stocksbridge depending on how tired we are. We will be passing the farm but it may be Sunday afternoon so you guys will be having a siesta.
Must go having my ears pierced – Ralph.
The 2009 Journey – The Hare’s running!!
Well we are off and walking chasing the challenge of doing it all over 3 days are we nuts or what!! This is us setting off Saturday morning at Norfolk Park in Sheffield. As you can see we are wearing our jackets with names on, much better than those yellow things the humans wear.
The guy on the left is Ryan the Leakage manager, as you know he was in charge of the left leg count. A stunning average of 22 per hour, and we did 8 hours that day!!
The first stretch to Ecclesfield was a long one calling at Lowshire on the way. We then went to High Green through fields and woods getting a few nettles on the way, by this time there were one or two blisters.
Aunty Sue was wearing bright pink and kept getting beeped at (I think they though she was a big trifle) Louise was limping by then due to new addidas paws apparently. Elton’s legs were so thin under his shorts I thought they were denta sticks.
When we got to Birdwell we were well pooped so had a watering break, we had some iced water and the humans drank something called Budweiser very refreshing apparently.
Our good friend’s smartie and gizmo joined us for most of the day so the leakage count became something of a competition. We then went to Sheffield Road BP station and apparently I disgraced myself (I thought it meant big pee!!!) and then staggered to Worsbrough Dale where we were starting on Sunday, across the road is a pub called the Greyhound very nice of them to name it after us I thought. We did 19.3 miles.
Sunday (Sore Paws all round)
This is us starting at Worsbrough Dale
What a gang at the start of what was to be a very hard and long day. Can you see the shirt Gracie said was like dog sick!! We had 3 friends join us from Cathill and Jane and Mandy (dressed as a cat!!) from Worsbrough and Rhianedd from HR think that’s Hound Resources, she has cats at the moment but we are working on her.
Well I set off with Ryan again (he gave me sneaky treats) but his paws gave up by Darfield (I think it’s because these humans only seem to use their back paws and not the front! It’s much easier with four paws guys believe me.
A quick mosey to Snape Hill and then onto Cathill (that was the one I was worried about) well I should not have been there was cold water, toast, biscuits and tea for us. Gizzy and Smartie came along and we went down the back roads towards Wombwell, well we met some greyhounds on the way a blue called Comet and a black and white one (Gizmo) who said they had seen us on the dog blog, I did offer to sign a pawtograph for them. We then met some chubby dogs wallowing in mud and went nose to snout with them to say hello (don’t you ever call me big nose again) apparently they make bacon eventually clever things.
We picked up Darren and Craig at Wombwell not much meat on those two, also Lesley and Lauren who got us loads of sponsors again. We then went to Hoyland King Street store then Hoyland Common. Then the big push to Wortley we were getting a bit tired by then and much to my embarrassment I had to call it a day, Gizmo was brilliant and offered to do the last bit for me though his wee count is not as good.
We got a bit lost on the way and ended up doing a few extra miles not idea when you have been walking two days. There were a number of debates as to who was responsible and mum took a bit of a slappin (not really) though I think if you had pushed her she would have fallen over. Gracie did some bits but her leg was playing up. We finished at the Wortley Arms (where we all had a wet) some of the humans had to be carried to the cars!!
We did 21.6 miles phew!!
Superstars doing the two days were Carol super fit Kestin, still managed to stagger to the pub after two days! Aunty Sue, who wore bright yellow, looked like a giant highlighter pen, Steve Duracell Rodgers from Hoyland and of course mum.
We are starting at the rescue centre at 8.30am on Saturday if you want to wave us off, with loads of friends. We then go to Stocksbridge then a big hill and treck to Penistone and then finally Silkstone and hopefully a watering hole.We hope to have loads of money for you guys by the end of it all.
Lots of love Ralph and Gracie xxxxxxxxx
The Final Frontier – Underbank Hill
Well here we are just before setting off and we called in to say hi to you guys.
Here we are showing our flash coats off with some more friends, Mick from Penistone, Mairi (who you remember bottled it last week!) Mini me Kestin and that’s my new best bud Ryan (he of the pockets full of treats) Nice of Aunty Lynda to see us off with a pat. We had to wear the high vis vests as Aunty Sue decided she was going to dress normal today, something about not wanting to scare the sheep at the farm. Andy who you can see with Gracie has got some real pork chop legs, it was all I could do to stop myself taking a little taster. It was a good job Ryan was feeding me treats he even put a black coat on to look like me, apparently his other name is co-operative.
Well off we went to Stocksbridge a nice little 3 mile trot. We were met by a real posse of people and bacon butties.
Can you see the guy on the left he’s called storm and joined us for the push to Penistone. We soon learnt it was not a good idea to walk behind him bit of flatulence issue (never happens to me honest!) Gracie well that’s another matter.
Well off we went a real gang of humans joining us some great support, from Stocksbridge store. They have a dog bin in there for you guys and pickings have been a bit poor lately, so if you’re passing put something in for Nosey and gang.
We got out of Stocksbridge and came upon Underbank what a flippin hill it was huge and very long my paws were sizzling when we got to the top which took quite a while as there were so many of us and those metal things with round paws kept coming towards us with such speed. Those folk need to learn to chill out and walk a bit more.
It was quite a nice mosey to Penistone then, lots of sun and the feeling that we were getting towards the end and the promise of a watering hole for humans.
We arrived at Penistone en mass and looked like a demonstration outside the store, so we had to move. Apparently last time there were a lot of people outside the store someone stole the last four letters of the store name and upset the town council. Can’t see why myself.
The last bit was to Dearnside at Silkstone another flippin hill what is it with these things. The down hill was worse - my paws were braking like mad I had to use the escape lane for an emergency wee!!
Yipee the end and time for some beauty sleep before our shampoo and set for the dog show Sunday.
As you can see Graice was pooped.
Well what a brilliant day Sunday was, we won third in the best pair of hounds. We was robbed!!
We saw loads of friends and got lots of treats bought though I was too tired to eat most of them.
We will be up soon with loads of money.
Lots of love Ralph & Gracie xxxxxxxxx
Update from Nosey
Hello only me! Nosey here: Ralph and Gracie have allowed me to have a go at my very own blog update. Oooeer the executive pressure!
The walk raised a massive £1,181 !!! (Just look at Ralph and Grace calculating how many bonios they could buy with that cheque)
Ralph is going to do the final blog instalment when he's back from his holiday - those four paws really do deserve a good break.
It's down to me being the gaffer at Gosling Moor Farm to THANK everyone involved: Alison, Chris, all the Co op staff, the Ring O'Bells (erm guys why did you go for a drink and not invite me?), all the generous people that sponsored the intrepid Co op walkers and my two very good fiends (ooops typing mistake - friends) Ralph and Grace.
Thank you so much to everyone and please come and see me soon: I've been authorised to sign autographs on behalf of Ralph and Grace.
Love Nosey XXXXX
Sponsored Walk – The Final Total!!
A massive thank you to Nosey for taking over the paw duties on the blog while Gracie and I took our holiday. We have had a great time in the lakes and then down in Derbyshire which was a bit hilly for some peoples liking but I loved it, loads of new sniffs and plenty of trees to water. We saw squirrels which merited a good growling and at one point I nearly took mums arm with me when I saw a rabbit, never mind managed to give it a good barking at! (That’s good for me as I don’t bark much tend to be the strong silent type sort of James Dean-ish)
This is us on a beach just about to run wild and free, ah well it was a reward for all the walking we did.
Now down to the real stuff the dosh.
With the collective money from all you generous sponsors and the people at the coop and our friends and family we got a grand total of...............................................
£1183!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well worth the sore paws and smelly feet!
I hear you guys did a sponsored walk last weekend, hope it went well for you and sorry we could not be there, but we do have other things planned to make some more dosh before the end of the year..... more of that next week.
So a massive thank you to all our sponsors who helped contribute to the total and thanks to all who took part in the walk including four legged friends, Smartie and Gizmo
Hope to see you all soon, Lots of licks
Ralph (the handsome one)
Gracie ( the sleepy one)
Allie & Chris (the ones who pay for the dog chow and keep us in a manor to which we have become accustomed!!!!!
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